The Moments We Have
by cearay
Summary: It is imperative that we never take the ones we love for granted, and always appreciate the moments we have with them.
1. Introductions

The Big Bang Theory is not mine! I do not own the rights to any of the characters, or some of the items mentioned in the text. The beginning scene is different from the first episode (but some things are the same). I just decided to write it my own way. I hope you guys enjoy. This is pretty long; and I hope I can continue making all of the chapters this long. (I absolutely love Lenny). Also I want to note, none of the jokes are meant to offend. I actually took some of them straight from the show! Thank you all, be sure to leave reviews so I know how you're liking it!

* * *

 **Chapter One**

Introductions

In a modestly-sized Pasadena apartment, two grown men sat comfortably in their living room, and had their eyes fixated upon the television.

"Must we watch this Leonard? Babylon 5 is an awful excuse of a science fiction series. If I were you, I would chose something far more interesting. Why not Star Trek: The Next Generation?" the lanky, blue-eyed, brunette haired man complained and then shoved a forkful of Thai noodles into his mouth.

"I happen to enjoy Babylon 5. That's why it's Leonard-gets-to-chose-the-show night," the short and stockier guy, Leonard Hofstadter, retorted. His eyebrows furrowed as he was clearly annoyed by the individual speaking to him.

"Perhaps I should revise that clause in the roommate agreement. No Babylon 5 on Leonard-gets-to-chose-the-show night or on any other night," the tall man speculated under his breath.

"Oh relax, Sheldon. It's only on for ten more minutes and then the TV is all yours. Anyway, did you hear that someone is moving in tonight across the hall?" Leonard asked his roommate, and proceeded to pick up his own take-out container. He wondered who the new neighbor could be. An odd 200 pound transvestite with a skin condition formerly lived there, and Leonard often felt awkward passing them in the hallway. Secretly, he wished their new neighbor would be an attractive woman his age… Either way, he dismissed the thought and flicked his dark eyes to Sheldon.

"Is that so? I wonder why that transvestite man moved. He was always relatively quiet. I absolutely despise babies, pets, and noisy individuals, so I will be furious if that's what we have to contend with." Sheldon said, and rolled his eyes with disgust.

Leonard adjusted his glasses and nodded. He supposed he agreed with Sheldon's statement, although, his roommate could be more irritating at times than the noisiest person existent. He picked at the Pad Thai he ordered, knowing that too much of this particular dish would not be beneficial to his health because of its high sodium content. "I'm going to go and greet whoever it is, I think I hear them walking up the stairs now. You can come if you want," Leonard offered, while running his fingers through his brown hair. He adjusted his jacket as he stood, smoothed his shirt, and made his way to the front door of their apartment.

"Yes, I'd like to warn them to refrain from causing a ruckus," Sheldon announced simply and followed Leonard like an obedient puppy dog.

Leonard, as soon as he had stepped out the door, came face-to-face to a beautiful blond woman. She wore tight fitting denim jeans that hugged her curves gracefully, a revealing sky blue V-neck t-shirt, and heels. She looked as if she was in her late twenties. His jaw dropped for a moment and he was speechless. The person who was going to occupy 4B was a drop-dead gorgeous female, just as he had hoped for.

"Hi," Was all Leonard could mutter. Sheldon said something after him but he was barely aware of his roommate's presence behind him.

"Oh! Hey you two! I'm assuming you're my new neighbors? I'm Penny," She mused as she picked up a box near the stairs and placed it in her gaping doorway.

Leonard's pulse sped up exponentially, far worse than usual. _Not Now_. The Experimental Physicist cursed silently to his uncooperative heart. He could feel the blood rush to his face, causing his cheeks to redden furiously, and he had begun to perspire. He knew it would be difficult to talk now. He knew he had better sit down. But he didn't care; Leonard just wanted to speak to this girl. "I'm Leonard Hofstadter," he held out his hand, which was beginning to moisten with sweat, "and that's my roommate Sheldon Cooper. Yes, we live across the hall." He replied with shortness of breath.

When their palms touched, electric shot through Leonard's body. Then he looked into her stunning green eyes. That was it for Leonard, he already had feelings for this woman. She had only spoken a meager sentence to him, but he had never known such a gorgeous woman in his life. His heart roared beneath his chest and he took a step back to lean against his own door frame.

Penny smiled. "Nice to meet you guys. I have to get on with unloading, maybe we can have coffee and get to know each other as soon as I'm settled in?"

Sheldon wrinkled his nose and glowered at the woman. "You don't have a pet, more specifically, a bird, do you? I despise birds. Or a child? Or maybe you have annoying habits like performing loud Tribal dance routines at three in the morning?" The Physicist inquired rudely.

Instead of getting offended, Penny just raised an eyebrow and smirked. "No, Sheldon. It's just me. And no, I'm usually knocked out by eleven anyway." She laughed, and then spoke, "besides, I have to get up early to go to work."

Leonard, gathering himself, took a deep breath before speaking again. "Don't mind Sheldon. That's just how he is. Do you need help with carrying anything up here? The elevator's been broken for ages. Moving has got to suck without an elevator. I know from experience..." he rambled on for a few more seconds, and finished with, "Sheldon and I can help you. I insist."

Before Penny had a chance to answer, Sheldon remarked, "Honestly, Leonard? For one, it is illogical that the two of us have the capability to lift anything heavier than a comic book. And two, in your co-"

"Come on Sheldon be quiet. She might need our assistance, have some chivalry," he cut Sheldon off, clearly discouraging him from finishing his sentence. "So do you need any help?"

"That would actually be really cool of you two. I could start unpacking if you guys could manage the last box. It's in the lobby. Thank you so much. I didn't think I'd be acquainted with anyone so soon!" She smiled while opening the box at her feet and unloading various bathroom essentials.

Without another word, Leonard began to descend the winding stairs of the apartment building. Again, Sheldon followed closely behind him.  
"It is clear you are hopelessly falling in love with that woman. Shall I remind you of your history in relationships Leonard? You are impossible. And I know you are perfectly aware that lifting heavy items up a flight of stairs is positively harmful to your health." Sheldon nagged.

Leonard gruffly replied, "leave it be Sheldon. It's none of your buisiness." Although he didn't want to admit it, Sheldon was correct this time. He barely knew Penny and he was already head over heels for her. Besides, he would never have a chance with her. A perfect girl like herself _must_ already have a boyfriend. And even if she didn't, Penny wouldn't be interested in him anyway. _I still own a pair of Wolverine underwear_ Leonard thought to himself with shame. As they reached the bottom step, the large brown box waited menacingly for them. He immediately bent down, paused until Sheldon to grabbed the other end, and began to climb the stairs again. After the first flight he had to stop. His heart rate had decided to speed up. How carrying a damn box counted as strenuous activity, he would never know. A man should be able to do this easily.

Sheldon eyed Leonard up and chided with a little, "I told you so," before they continued their gradual ascent up the stairwell.

As they finally reached the fourth floor, Leonard dropped his end of the box and gasped, fiddling in his pant's pocket for his inhaler. He breathed in not once but three times in order for his lungs to stabilize. His heart pounded in his chest, and he could almost taste the blood coursing through his arteries. He gripped the wall for support, face as red as a cherried tomato.

"Gee Leonard, you had better hope there were no valuables in there. Why you, Raj, and Howard break your back for an inferior gender, I will never understand." Sheldon offered Leonard a pat on the back, and added, "that is the reason I do not need a significant other, I'm too important to be wasting my well-being in order to achieve coitus."

"I am not looking for sex." He seethed through his teeth. Although, he wouldn't be opposed to it... He most definitely wasn't trying to achieve it.

Penny, who heard the faint bump from outside her apartment door, expected that the boys had brought up her last box. "Again, thank you guys so much! You really didn't have to…" She stopped and saw Leonard struggling, "oh sweetie, would you like some water? I really could have called the Mover back up or something y'know, You shouldn't have offered!" She truly felt bad for the guy, even a bit guilty for having him carry her stuff, so she placed a hand on his arm for support.

Leonard shivered at her touch and looked up at her shyly. He almost collapsed after being called "sweetie." He didn't want to seem weak so he stood up despite the palpitations that wracked his body. His heart was really working hard today but it was worth it for her. "No. I'm fine, really," he assured her, "why don't you maybe have some dinner at our place? I mean, if you didn't eat yet of course. We just finished eating but we have extra food if you like Thai. Our friends couldn't make it tonight. We could… Get to know each other like you suggested before… Only if you want to." The Experimental Physicist was never really the best at conversing with women. Adversely, at least Leonard wasn't like his friend Raj Koothrappali, who couldn't speak to women at all.

"Oh, sure, why not? I'd love to!" Penny announced with genuine enthusiasm.

Sheldon, who was clearly peeved, headed into 4A and had begun to clean up his mess.

Penny walked in and sat on the far-left cushion of the couch. She watched Leonard close the door behind them and shuffle in. She looked around the room, curious about the environment she was in. These guys were nerds, she knew that from the start. But the various Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and sci-fi film memorabilia scattered around the place affirmed this for her. She had to laugh internally. She would never be caught dead in a place like this in highschool. But these guys were nice enough, and she was beyond those days. "So what do you guys do for a living?" She asked them politely.

Leonard reached into the Thai Palace bag and picked out a take-out container full of steamed dumplings. He handed Penny a plastic fork, in which when their fingers brushed together, his heart leaped in his chest for the hundredth time today. His eyes scanned over her beautiful body. _Oh no_. He didn't notice it before, but when he did, he grinded his teeth together. "Ahh… Penny, you see, you're sitting in Sheldon's spot. Could you scoot over a bit before he notices?"

"Why can't he just sit somewhere else?" Penny questioned with a mouthful of dumpling already in her mouth. These guys were so weird.

"You'll get to know Sheldon-"

"Leonard. She's in my spot. Get her out of my spot. This is what happens when you invite people over that don't know the rules of the house." The lanky man groaned in agony and folded his arms together neatly.

"No, no. I'll just move over! No biggie," The blonde pleaded, sliding over onto the next cushion, continuing to eat her meal.

Leonard walked over to the kitchen, quickly snatched his pills from the medicine cabinet before anyone could notice, and took two capsules with water. He then found his place in his frequent chair, and directed his eyes upon his roommate and his new acquaintance/crush.

When Sheldon took his place in his "rightful" spot, he went on, "now that that's cleared up, to answer your question from earlier Penny, I am a Physicist. That means I specialize in physics to explain it in a way that a muggle such as yourself would understand. My aspirations as of yet are to obtain a Nobel Peace Prize. Leonard's occupation is far less brilliant, he's an Experimental Physicist. He might as well just be a college professor."

Until Penny remarked, "well, it all sounds impressive to me," Leonard was quite infuriated at his roommate's comment. Leonard scratched his head and looked at the pretty girl across from him and had shivered when their eyes met. "Enough about us. What brought you here to Pasadena Penny?"

Finishing off her plate, Penny placed the bare container on the table in front of her. She smiled at Leonard. He was much more polite than most of the guys she'd encountered throughout her life. "I moved here from Omaha, Nebraska. I've been dreaming of becoming an actress since I was a little girl so I decided to follow my dream. What better a place than California, y'know? For now I'm just Waitressing at the Cheesecake Factory"

Leonard nodded. "Of course. I'm glad everything's working out for you."

"Not quite…" Penny trailed off, sighing. "Ex-boyfriends are a pain in the butt, you know what I mean I'm sure."

"What happened?" Leonard probed. He hoped he wasn't being too nosy but he was concerned for her deeply. However, the word _ex_ really made him interested.

"Well, I was with this guy Kurt for a pretty long time. And the reason I got this apartment is because I moved out of his place after we broke up. The problem is, he won't return my TV that I paid for no matter how much I try to threaten him. He won't answer any calls or texts about it but I know he's seeing them." Penny explained, her elbows on her knees, and her hands resting on her chin.

"I could call up my friends and go and get it tomorrow?" Leonard offered sincerely.

Sheldon shook his head and let out a long sigh.

"I don't know Leonard, you really don't have to. He's pretty… well, I just don't want him trying anything. I can try and get a lawyer. I would feel terrible if anything happened to either of you. And besides, you've really done too much already." Penny explained and then stood from her spot on the sofa. "It was really nice meeting you Leonard, Sheldon. We should definitely do this again soon!" She added, and made her way to the door.

"You're very welcome, anytime!" Leonard followed her to the door and softly shut it behind her. He lingered there for a moment, letting his heart recover. "Our babies will be smart and beautiful," he breathed.

"Well it _has_ been awhile since a female has been in our apartment, since your grandmother with Alzheimer's was here last Thanksgiving. I think your little affair with Penny was successful, aside from your constant attempts to impress her for intercourse. My, you're already speaking of having offspring with her." Sheldon pointed out and started over to the kitchen. He reached for his mug and began to boil water to make tea.

"Sheldon, maybe we should get Howard and Raj over here tomorrow. I'm going to try to get her TV back."


	2. The Adverse Effect

Thanks for the reviews everyone! Here's Chapter two. I don't own The Big Bang Theory, or some of the items mentioned in the text. Hope you like this one guys, moving along here a little.

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

The Adverse Effect

Two days later, after a few hours of searching on the internet, Howard was able to pinpoint the address of Penny's ex boyfriend. There weren't many people with the name Kurt in Pasadena, so it was relatively simple to locate him.

Reluctantly, after pleading with them, Leonard's three friends accompanied him to confront this stranger. The four of them got in his car, and he had begun to drive.  
Although he was nervous, Leonard badly wanted to do this favor for Penny. His new neighbor seemed to be distraught about the situation and he wanted to assist her in any way he could.

As he drove down the Highway, he was deep in thought. The guys were conversing about a re-release of Indiana Jones in theaters, and usually, he'd be excited about something of the sort. However, he honestly didn't care about anything but the task at hand right now.

Leonard couldn't remember a time he had feelings so strongly for someone. He knew the guys would make fun of him for being so love-struck, but they didn't have anyone in their lives either. Leonard hadn't been interested in anyone, and nobody had been interested in him for months. The few girls from past Comic Cons didn't count. Or Leslie Winkle. Those instances were merely one night stand kind of deals. He craved a relationship so badly. Love was the only thing missing from his life; he had everything a guy could ask for really; great friends, a relatively nice apartment, a high-paying job that he enjoyed, and a local comic book store. But he didn't feel complete. Affection was missing from his life and he knew it was starting to take a toll on his emotions. Leonard didn't have affection from his family as a child and that carried into adulthood as well. Sheldon, Raj, and Howard cared of course, but in their own strange ways. And they were just his friends, clearly they couldn't help him in that aspect.

It occasionally kept him up at night, the pangs of emptiness, the stress of feeling like he might never find someone… Why Penny resurfaced these emotions so much stronger, he didn't know. The reality was that he probably had no chance with her at all and he knew the guys must think he was a joke for even trying. Leonard didn't care. He wanted her, and he was going to try get her. There was something he saw in Penny that he had never seen in any other woman before.

"I believe this is the turn, Leonard." Sheldon shuffled in the passenger seat, clearly antsy from the car ride.

Leonard turned the wheel in the direction of Kurt's street, flicking on his headlights, due to the darkening sky. As he arrived at the house numbered 567, he parked the car out front.

"This is where Leonard gets his ass kicked and we watch from afar!" Howard laughed and Raj joined in.

"I'm not going to get my ass kicked," Leonard affirmed with irritation and stepped out of his vehicle. "I'm just going to be mildly... assertive. Besides, it's four against one."

"No, three nerds and a Sheldon." Raj corrected, in which made the two burst into another fit of laughter.

Leonard rolled his eyes.

"Oh just make it quick, will you Leonard? Our schedule for Thursday Halo night is getting interrupted because of your escapades and I want to visit the train store before it closes. It's nearly five o'clock."

"Don't worry Sheldon, " Leonard assured him. "We'll make it in time. This shouldn't take long."

"No, assuming this individual is likely to beat us into a pulp within nanoseconds." Sheldon said, stiffly walking behind his friend.

The four men trudged up the sidewalk of the small house with Leonard in the lead.  
Leonard took a deep breath and his nerves were affecting the pace of his heartbeat. Beads of sweat formulated on his neck as he knocked on Kurt's door.

They waited several minutes until a very tall man, who matched Sheldon's height, opened the door. This was the right guy. He was extremely muscular, almost beast-like, and had a buzzed hair-cut. If this was Penny's type… well, then Leonard concluded that didn't have any shot at all with her.

"Are you Kurt?" Leonard asked, trying to be as forceful as he could muster.

Kurt leaned against his doorframe and crossed his arms. "Yeah, and what's it to ya?" He grumbled in a deep voice.

"We're here to get Penny's TV back. Uhm… You'd better give it to her." Leonard asserted himself, but clearly failed at doing so. He barely heard Howard murmur the word _smooth_.

Kurt ceased from leaning and now he towered over the four. "What are you weirdos gonna do about it, huh? She sent the four of you over here?"

Now, with his reddening face and flaring nostrils, Kurt reminded Leonard of the fearsome dragon, Smaug, from the Hobbit.

"No. I took it upon myself to retrieve it for her," Leonard reasoned. The Experimental Physicist tried to calm himself, but his chest was hurting him.

Sheldon noticed that Leonard was having a difficult time, so he put a hand on his roommate's shoulder to steady him. "Won't you be a decent individual and return Penny's television so I can resume my evening? She paid for that item. If you had made a relationship agreement, which I highly suggest you do in the future, you would have avoided this conundrum. Preposterous, I will never understand commoner relationships."

"Yeah, exactly." Leonard smirked, thankful for Sheldon's input. This was one of the rare instances where his roommate's comments were appreciated.

Hopefully Kurt would be agitated enough to return the TV now.

He was wrong to expect that from this type of brute. Kurt, after saying, "get the hell outta here freaks," proceeded to give Leonard a wedgie and then slammed the door in their faces. Leonard, humiliated, quickly righted his underwear and made his way back into the driver's seat without a word to his friends. He was an adult for god's sake. Why didn't people take him seriously?

The rest of them climbed in the car, and his friends continued to poke fun at Leonard.

"Helpful, guys."

Leonard drove Sheldon to the train store, they picked up a pizza, and sped home. The whole excursion took about four hours. He just wanted to be home. Leonard was irked. All he wanted to do was please this girl, why didn't it work out like he wanted it to? Any efforts he made in regards to women never worked out for him, and his friends never failed to point it out.

The four of them walked up the four flights of stairs, in which always gave Leonard's heart a challenge. He had to pause several times as they went up, trailing behind the others.

When they reached 4A, Sheldon began to unlock the door. Just as they were about to file in, Penny's door opened and closed.

Leonard turned his head and sure enough, the breathtaking blonde stood before him.

"Hey you guys! What's up?" Penny mused, her green eyes sparkling.

She looked absolutely perfect; with her simple pink sweater, black pants, and flats, Her golden hair was elegantly curled. Leonard's thoughts went fuzzy for a second. His pulse wasn't catching a break. No progress. She made his knees go weak.

Leonard didn't respond for a second, and when he did, it was muddled. "We… uh… just got back from picking up a pizza. You could join us if you wanted… but it looks like you're already going out? By the way, this is Howard and Raj." And then he shot the two a look, as Sheldon had already gone into the apartment after greeting their neighbor, and he wanted them to do the same.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Penny." She greeted them, and then reached into her bag for something.

Raj and Howard got Leonard's hint, waved to Penny, and went into the apartment. That was, surprisingly, probably the most considerate thing they have ever done for him.

"Yeah I am actually going out! So guess what Leonard? Kurt is letting me take back the TV. I can't believe it!"

"Reeeeally? Do you have any clue as to why that might be?" Leonard insinuated.

"No clue! That's where I'm going, to pick it up. You know, I thought he was such a bad guy but I think he deserves another chance. We're gonna go out for a bit and try to work things out. Kind of a date I guess. Wish me luck?"

 _No_. Leonard's heart dropped. Of course his actions would have an adverse effect. What else is new?

He only nodded, and offered a her small smile. Before arguing with himself internally about it, Leonard gathered the confidence to meekly murmur, "You look beautiful tonight, Penny. Any guy would be lucky to have you."

At first, Penny was stunned, but her cheeks began to redden slightly. "Thanks Leonard, you have a nice night."

As she climbed the stairs, she didn't think much of it at first. She had received comments from many men in her lifetime. But after thinking about it, the compliment just felt… real, genuine coming from Leonard. She knew that guys often just said things to get in bed with her, but Leonard wasn't like that. She could see he was a truly nice person. He had really made her night; she wasn't used to that. Kurt hadn't said something nice like that to her… _ever_. She continued to walk to her car, baffled by her emotions, but still excited to try and mend things with Kurt. Penny had to admit, there was a part of her that did miss him. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

After saying it, he swiftly turned into his own apartment. His heart almost jumped out of his chest and it was beating extremely hard. Leonard sat down immediately. His friends looked at him. The Experimental Physicist took a second to breathe, and used his inhaler.

"So, since you suck at women, can I have her?" Howard asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"C'mon, stay away from her." Leonard grumbled, and after regulating himself, then bit into a greasy slice of pizza.

"Leonard, what are you thinking? You've been awfully reckless lately. Pizza? Going out and doing things that you know will ultimately result in cardiac arrest? I just do not understand you people. You need to take your Captopril" Sheldon shook his head, and took his usual seat on the couch.

"Thanks for being my 24/7, stay at home doctor Sheldon. I need one of those." He sneered, quickly finishing off his first slice.

"Oh, you're welcome. Who else is going to take me to my annual dental checkup?"

Howard smirked, and whispered _sarcasm_ into Sheldon's ear.

"Oooh," Sheldon said, and proceeded to emit an odd laugh.

Leonard shook his head. He wasn't in a good mood, and he could care less about his health right now. He had horrible luck.


	3. The Ex Boyfriend Conundrum

Man it's been three years since i've updated this... lol, I suck at keeping up with writing. hopefully I keep up with this. I don't own BBT!

 **Chapter Three**

The Ex Boyfriend Conundrum

Penny sauntered over to the Bar Celona, a Spanish Tapas bar on Colorado Boulevard. The platinum blonde's nerves were sky highand she hoped that her date would go somewhat well. Her mind was in a thousand places. Leonard's comment, albeit her initial surprise, was buried with the thoughts of her oncoming escapade.

What could've gotten into her ex, Kurt, and why would he decide to suddenly give her TV back? Kurt sounded genuinely apologetic over the phone and he was the one who proposed they try again. Her ex admitted to being ridiculous and that, after thinking about the situation, decided she deserved no more trouble from him and a nice dinner date.

Penny supposed that she missed him, it had only been three weeks that they ended their seven month relationship. She acknowledged that Kurt often acted distasteful when they were together, but she wondered if the man had wanted her back so bad that he was willing to change. The guy just had a lot of testosterone, she had to accept his personality as it was. Honestly, Kurt never uttered the words "I'm sorry" to her until yesterday. He must've pined for her!

She was glad that her neighbors, Leonard and Sheldon, had not gone over to Kurt's place. It would've made things worse, and besides, he probably would've fought them. It was really nice of them to propose the notion though.

The windows of the restaurant illuminated with blue light and people dined outside the vicinity. Typical of a Friday evening, Bar Celona was packed with customers. Penny gripped her purse and wondered how the encounter would ensue with Kurt. She entered the cozy building and sat at a barstool, waiting for her date to arrive. Penny ordered a cocktail and sipped it briskly, licking her bright red lips. At this rate, she would be drunk exceedingly quick.

Kurt dragged his feet on the sidewalk and approached the Spanish Tapas bar leisurely. When he saw her car, the hulking man knew that he had Penny wrapped around his finger. He wasn't going to let some geeks push him around. The jealousy and aggravation burned in his chest. What did those comic-book weirdos have to do with Penny anyway? Surely she'd never hang around with guys like that! He grumbled to himself.

Already on her second drink, Penny was increasingly becoming irritable. Her ex was already fifteen minutes late and it was making her look bad. He was already disappointing her, but she would give him another chance to redeem himself nonetheless.

A few minutes later, Kurt entered the premises and approached Penny from behind.

"What up, babe?" Kurt crooned as her wrapped his muscular arms around the blonde's figure.

"Hey Kurt." Penny said apprehensively, allowing him to hug her.

When he took a seat next to her and ordered his liquor, he turned to her and leaned his arm against the granite counter.

"I've been thinkin' about you a lot babe. Been missing you and all that stuff yaknow. The TVs no biggie. I'll bring it up to your new place tonight if you want. Kay?" He winked at her suggestively, probably hinting at sex later in the evening.

Penny wasn't sure she would let it get that point. Although he was good in bed, she did not want him to take advantage of her. The young woman wanted to allow things to play out slowly.

"Maybe Kurt. You can just carry it into my car if it's too much trouble, my neighbors can help me with lifting it up the stairs." She wouldn't make the boys help her again, of course, Leonard didn't look so healthy after he carried those boxes up… Maybe he had asthma? Regardless, she used her friends as an excuse to avoid the man next to her.

"Huh. We'll see. You look hot by the way. That top is real sexy on you." Kurt commented, then downed his drink. He then looked over to the bartender and said "we'll have some shots, and bring some of those pesto flatbreads too."

Penny was flattered for a moment and emitted a quick _thanks_ at his comment. She sipped a shot and had begun to feel slightly buzzed. At first, she was flustered by his words, but a sober thought arose in her head.

 _You look beautiful tonight, Penny. Any guy would be lucky to have you._

Penny's heart fluttered as she remembered the sweet compliment her neighbor, Leonard had said. Why didn't Kurt say those things to her? Of course, she wasn't possibly attracted to the man across the hall. He liked video games and Star Trek and comic conventions. And there was no way he liked her. He was a scientist! He was much too smart to be with her. Penny wouldn't be seen with a guy like that in high school. But she wasn't in high school anymore…

After a few more drinks, Penny was hammered. Kurt ensured that he didn't drink as much as her.

"I'll drive you home Penns, you can't drive by yourself. We'll take your car babe."

Kurt told Penny he didn't have any money, and that she had to pay for the outing. Without loading the TV in her vehicle, Kurt went through Penny's purse and got her keys out. He picked her up and put her in the passenger seat of the old Toyota and drove off.

When he saw the apartment complex, he parked the car and assisted the very drunk woman out of her seat. They walked across the pavement and into the lobby of the building. Once he realized there was no elevator, he cursed to himself and realized he would have to carry Penny up the stairs. This entire date was taking much too long for him. She mumbled her apartment number in his ear, and he began to ascend the winding stairs.

As soon as they arrived on the fourth floor, he tightly gripped her keys and pinned her against her apartment door. He tried kissing her face and neck, and running his hands down her sides.

With slurred speech, Penny refused his advances. Although she was very drunk, her conscience knew to try and ward him off. Of course, this was typical of Kurt. However, she had no power over him at this moment.

"Don't worry babe. It'll be good. Kay?" Kurt promised, "just let me open the door and we'll have some fun."

Penny struggled against his grip and managed a loud _N-Nho-NO!_

Kurt stood back, shaking his head. "You are unbelievable! When did you become so lame?"

Across the hall, Leonard and Sheldon were playing a Final Fantasy video game. They were about to head to their rooms until they heard some ruckus outside of their door.

"I told you I did not want to deal with noisy neighbors. Penny is already the epitome of irritating. Is she always going to cause so much racket at this hour?" Sheldon commented snidely, knowing very well that Leonard would object to this statement. After all, the homunculus was hopelessly in love with the woman.

Leonard ignored his roommate and paced over to their door. He looked through the peephole and saw a large man, none other than the hideous Kurt, harassing Penny. She looked distressed and intoxicated. Leonard quickly intervened, surprised by his own immediate courage.

"Leave her alone. She clearly doesn't want you touching her." Leonard said firmly, challenging the brute who was much larger than him.

"You again, geek!? I've had enough! Let me show you to never bother me after this!" Kurt whipped around and stepped closer to Leonard. He was seething with fury, his fists were balled up, and his muscles were clenching.

The tousled brown-haired man with glasses just stood there. He was nervous but he wouldn't back down. In any other situation, he would have fled by now. But for Penny, Leonard would go to the ends of the Earth to try and protect her. Even if she never reciprocated his feelings. His heart pounded in his chest. It was acting up as usual, but it was much worse in this particularly stressful situation. His breath shortened and he prepared to be punched in the face. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to be hospitalized after this quarrel.

Even in her stupor, Penny witnessed the situation with some clarity. Kurt was going to injure Leonard. She would not have that.

"Kuh-rt. Please juuzzt go. I doh not want to cahll the cops ma-hnnn."

Kurt turned to his ex girlfriend and scowled, and then threw her keys at her feet.

"Next time, I'll pulverize you and your friends too. Don't try and embarrass me, weirdo." The man almost growled at Leonard and then exited the premises.

By this time, Penny had already stumbled into her apartment. She hadn't spoke a word to Leonard, and had left her door agape by accident. Leonard was crestfallen, and his chest was hurting him, but he wondered if he should follow her or just leave her alone. But what if the woman of his affections needed help? She didn't look good and he was genuinely concerned for her. It was not like him to enter someone's home uninvited. Although he felt somewhat invasive, he decided that he would see if she was alright. He took a much needed deep breath and entered her space.


	4. The Alcohol Result

Hope you guys like this chapter.

 **Chapter Four**

The Alcohol Result

It was the first time that Leonard had stepped into Penny's apartment. A rectangular teal couch was perched in the center of the floor and various cardboard boxes were scattered beneath it. The Experimental Physicist tried not to snoop, but he couldn't help but notice the multiple framed photos on her kitchen counter which depicted the waitress with her family and friends. Although to Sheldon it would be a nightmare, he found the unkempt pile of clothing on her crimson chair incredibly endearing. Everything in her apartment had a personal, feminine touch, even including the hot pink coffee pot and flowery-patterned tea kettle. These little artifacts had only made him fawn over her much more, as they enabled him to gain further insight into her personality.

After scanning the room, Leonard knew the intoxicated blonde was not in the living area.

Leonard warily made his way into her bedroom. All of the lights were off except for a sliver of yellow underneath, what he assumed, was the bathroom door. As he lumbered blindly in the darkness, he could hear a voice moaning softly. The short man knocked quietly on the wood, careful not to startle her.

"Penny, can I come in? I just want to make sure you're okay. It's me, Leonard." He rested his cheek on the surface of the closed door and listened for her response.

He didn't hear anything at first. But then, Leonard caught a small gasp.

In her inebriated state, Penny had thrown up in the trashcan. Because of an impending migraine, she decided to rest on the cool bathroom tile. As she layed there, a familiar, soothing voice spoke to her, and her mind registered that it was her neighbor Leonard. A tiny gasp exited her lips. She was very surprised to hear this particular voice.

A part of her didn't want him to see her like this, but another part deeply desired for him to assist her. When nights like this occured, her previous boyfriends had always abandoned her. She managed to utter, "Mmm-hmmm," however, did not move a muscle and remained in her place on the floor.

Leonard slowly opened the door and was shocked to see Penny face-down, in the fetal position, on the bathroom tile. He saw that she had been sick and his stomach twisted with worry for her. The scientist bent down beside her and carefully rolled her over, observing her face. Her hair was in tangles, her cheeks were red, and her clothes were a mess.

The woman peered up at him and searched his face for judgement. There was none evident in Leonard's gaze, and in fact, it was full of concern and care. Penny felt somewhat embarrassed and sad. She averted her eyes away from him, not quite comprehending all of her feelings.

"Do you want me to help you get back to bed? Or should I just go?" He questioned her seriously, holding her close to him but far enough so that it remained a friendly gesture.

"Stay." Penny said concisely, desiring his company. Not only was she incredibly sick but the alcohol was making her depressed. This was so kind of Leonard to do. She barely knew him, he was just a neighbor, and he was going out on a limb for her. His generosity and genuine thoughtfulness made her heart skip a beat. But she could not revel in it, her stomach was much too sour to think properly. Her speech was becoming audible slowly, however, and she was thankful for that.

Leonard was so pleased that she wanted him to remain by her side. Was it because she was not sober? He truly didn't know, but he wasn't about to leave. She told him to stay. And he would. Leonard would do whatever he could for her.

Leonard released a huff after lifting Penny up. She wasn't heavy, but any weight that the Experimental Physicist carried put a strain on his heart. He gritted his teeth and brought her to her bed. Leonard let her down and quickly paced to the closet.

"I'm going to get you some PJS. One second." He said to her, gripping his inhaler in his pants pocket. When out of her view, he abruptly sucked air out of the miniscule device, and then rested at the doorframe of the closet.

While he was recovering, he observed the countless outfits draping from their hangers, wondering briefly how she would be able to fit any more in there. Many of the garments defined Penny's character, even without knowing the woman through and through. There were maxi dresses, v neck tops, high-rise jeans, and _lots_ of pink. Leonard smiled, he wouldn't even have to guess what her favorite color was. As he flipped through the clothes, he happened upon a pair of lacy lingerie, and his face flushed beat red. Leonard halted himself from allowing his thoughts to wander to what it would look like on her.

He picked out a satin lavender pair of pajamas, and when he brought it to her, she lifted an eyebrow.

"I'm perfectly fine with a T and sweats, sweetie. They're in the bottom drawer." She said honestly and pointed to the dresser. Her speech was slightly slurred, but she attempted to sound as normal as possible.

 _Hmm_. Leonard thought to himself. _She's not always concerned with fashion._ He sorted through the drawer and picked out the most comfortable-looking clothes he could find, and brought it to her.

Immediately, Leonard had begun to exit the room to allow her to change in privacy.

Penny emitted a shaky laugh, "you're fine Leonard. You don't have to go. We're both adults here."

Leonard allowed a nervous chuckle to escape his lips. If she knew what seeing her in a bra would do to him, she wouldn't have suggested it. He didn't leave the room, as she said not to, but he turned his back to her and covered his eyes.

Momentarily, he felt warmth around his waist. Arms snaked around his body, and a gentle breath tickled the nape of his neck. He turned around to face none other than the beautiful Penny.

The woman pressed her lips on his, initiating all of the contact, and he was as still as a stone. She entwined her fingers through his curly chocolate hair and kissed him passionately. She broke his wall. He reciprocated, then, lost in the moment. Kissing her back. Completely dazed.

Leonard expression was bewildered and she shared a similar look. At first he was awestruck. His heart was pounding harder than it ever had, it was uncontrollable.

And then he was pulled from his delusions, remembering that Penny was still drunk.

He took her hand sullenly and lead her to her bed. Hoisting her up silently, he laid her down and sat next to her on the cushiony memory foam mattress.

"Penny, I'm sure you probably know how much I wanted to do that. But you're drunk. I can't. With the state you're in now, you won't even remember this in the morning." Leonard told her honestly, raw emotions flowing from his words.

"I know…" She sighed, avoiding his gaze once again. Her feelings were all over the place. But right now, she craved the man next to her. He was correct, it was probably the result of the alcohol, but she couldn't ignore the flame of passion she got when their lips locked.

Penny thought about Kurt. About how he mistreated her. The signs were so clear, why did she even go on that stupid date? She could have spent her night relaxing, sipping a glass of wine, and reading Cosmopolitan magazine. Or she could have become more acquainted with the boys across the hall; More acquainted with Leonard. Her mind flickered to memories of past relationships. Each of the men were generally the same. They used her for a multitude of things and none of them had true feelings for her. What was she missing?

Tears had begun to flow from her eyes and she curled up in a ball on her bed.

He stroked the woman's cheek, wiping the saline drops away from her face. Carefully, Leonard ran his fingers through her soft blonde hair to comfort her. The texture of the strands on his fingertips was like nothing he had ever felt before.

"I'm sorry Leonard," Penny cried, "I'm just tired of these things happening over and over again. Kurt is a terrible guy."

"You don't have to be sorry." He said simply. Leonard felt deeply sad. Not only for himself, but now for her. Penny was used to being used and taken for granted by her exes. But she would never want him, regardless of the kiss. It was the booze talking. He wanted her, and he got a taste of her, but she would never be his. But he would be forever grateful of the fleeting moment they shared tonight.

"Thanks for being here. I need someone like you in my life." Penny murmured softly to him and she snuggled into his side.

"Shhh. Get some sleep. I'll be here whenever you need me." Leonard stated matter-of-factly and waited for her to fall asleep. Her comment touched his soul. However, he knew that when the morning came, she would forget about the evening's events.

Depression engulfed him and when he heard her faintly snore, he sluggishly went back over to 4A.


End file.
